How the Health of Healthcare Workers Affects You in the Clinic and the Workforce

ask yourself what is the most common, costly, and prevent workplace injuries. What comes to mind? Back sprain? Carpal tunnel? Both fall into the category of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) - the correct answer. Most jobs involve positions and movements that, without proper ergonomics, easily lead to chronic or acute pain. Some jobs involve heavy labor such as construction and cargo handling, put workers at greater risk of injury. However, more often, less obvious trade consistently ranks among the highest reported cases of IPC and IPC include missed work:. It

care supplies, information and companions - very people help other in pain - suffered on the work of IPC as more than seven times higher than the national average for all other occupations. Simple tasks like making beds demand is constantly bending and stretching, and that contribute to chronic pain. Even more damage is often lifting, transferring, and repositioning patients. In other jobs that require frequent as to raise, sure to raise the limit was as low as 35 pounds. Hospital patients usually weigh more than 100 The eight-hour shifts, cumulative weight of health care workers need to raise about 1.8 tons. No wonder that there is a lack of care. Health workers in the short staff, facilities are under even greater physical demand because they are picking up the slack of the missing personnel. So the cycle continues.

resulting from the cost of work-related MSDs beyond workers' compensation. In support of the nurse and health worker Protection Act of 2009, the Coalition for a health care worker and patient safety (jaw) said that 38 percent of nurses suffered work-related back pain significant enough to require leave from work. Furthermore, 52 percent reported chronic back pain, and 1 in 3 nurses under 30 plans to leave his job next year because of the physically demanding nature of work. Even students who suffer MSDs affect their careers. Depending on how long a person stays in the field when he or she leaves, not only the loss of revenue problem, but also time and cost of education and medical care for ongoing pain. In fact, nurses who suffer from MSDs and work-related May not even qualify for workers' compensation, as well as a common disorder resulting from years of lifting, not a single frequency.

runs the risk of injury to patients, as well. Health workers perform physical tasks, while the pain is more likely to cause harm to their patients. If an object is a short staff, patients can not even get the attention it takes to heal.

years of research and health-related incidents IPC led to positive changes. Legislation is no stranger to a bill requiring the implementation of safety training and lifting equipment in health facilities safe patient handling and movement concepts have been implemented in nursing school curriculum. Research on the investment return for the safe handling is also positive. In 2007, researchers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality began the 18-month research on safe patient lifting program. They reported that all direct and indirect costs associated with security awareness programs are recouped in less than 5 years.

in the ongoing initiatives to reduce MSDs work in the healthcare industry to help pave the way for other manual material handling jobs. Safety training with ergonomic improvements significantly reduce injuries and associated costs - the costs of employees, employers and insurance companies. These solutions are possible and available. In an economy that can not afford to further jeopardize the retention or employment of any business, these solutions can be more important.

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